Stewart's distinguished career recognised

18 February 2008

UCT lecturer, Professor Theo Stewart, has been awarded a gold medal by the International Society on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), the first from a developing country.

The society has members from 85 countries with purposes to develop, test, evaluate and apply methodologies for solving multiple criteria decision-making problems, to foster interaction and research in the field and to co-operate with other organisations in the study of management from a quantitative perspective.

The award is the highest honour bestowed upon a scholar who, over a distinguished career, has devoted much of his talent, time and energy to the field of MCDM, and who has markedly contributed to its theory, methodology and practice.

Stewart has been working in the Department of Statistical Sciences for many years, specialising in operational research. He was announced as the winner when the MCDM held its biannual conference in Auckland, New Zealand, early this month.

"It is great to have such recognition. It shows that even in Africa we can be seen as competing on the world stage," Stewart said.